Lost Your House Key? What to Do Next

Lost keys fall into two problems: getting back in now, and making sure whoever finds them can't use them. Here's how to handle both.

1. Getting back in

• Check for a spare with family, a neighbour you trust, or at work.
• Renting? Your landlord or agent may have a spare. See landlord and tenant lock changes.
• No spare? Call a locksmith. We'll ask for proof that you live there (for example, NRIC with your address, a tenancy agreement or a utility bill), then open the door damage-free wherever possible. See locked out of your HDB flat.

2. Should you change the locks?

Ask yourself whether someone could connect the keys to your home:

• Change the locks if the keys were with anything showing your address (an IC, a letter, a parcel, a key tag with your unit number), if they were stolen, or if you lost them near home.
• It's lower risk if they were lost somewhere far from home with nothing to identify you. Many people still change the locks for peace of mind.

A lock change replaces the lock, so every old key stops working. HDB main door and gate locks start from S$100 each, including the lock and installation. See HDB main door lock replacement.

3. Don't forget the other keys

• Gate key: often on the same ring. See HDB gate lock replacement.
• Letterbox key: your letters include bank statements. See lost letterbox key.
• Car key: if it was on the same ring, see lost car key fob.
• Access card or digital lock card: delete it from the lock or tell condo management.

4. If the keys were stolen

If your keys were stolen along with your bag or wallet, make a police report, and change the locks as soon as possible, especially if your address could be found from what was taken.

Never again

• Never put your unit number on a key tag.
• Keep a spare with someone you trust, not under the mat or in the meter box.
• Consider a digital lock: no key to lose, and codes can be changed in a minute. See digital lock installation.

We don't cut or duplicate house keys: when keys are lost, we replace the lock and give you a new set.